The philosophy of the PGA TOUR Golf Academy is built upon the concept of a total game experience (i.e., full swing, short game, and on-course instruction; club fitting; fitness). This experience is designed to improve every facet of the student’s game in a safe and nurturing environment.
Foundation
The information that we gather from Touring professionals and other resources is what makes up the foundation of our teaching philosophy at the PGA TOUR Golf Academy. It is not one person’s opinion, but rather, a collection of opinions based on observing the very best players in the world every day and also taking into account the latest science on the golf swing.
When we lay out a path of improvement for a student, we consider:
1) What the pros are doing
Our instructors coach some of the top golfers in the world, from the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour to the Web.com and LPGA Tour, and are fully aware of all of the latest trends in swing instruction, training aids, practice, and equipment technology.
2) Geometry of the golf swing motion
From advanced learning systems such as The Golfing Machine and the evolution of 3D video, our instructors have a much better understanding of how the clubhead, club shaft, and clubface should move in the swing, relative to the body and the ground.
3) Biomechanics of the golf swing motion
Through the use of 3D motion capture technology, our instructors are now able to view a golfer’s swing from any angle (above, below, face-on, down the target line, etc.) and, perhaps more importantly, measure what the body is doing during the swing.
4) Ball Flight Data
The great Ben Hogan once said, “the ultimate judge of your golf swing is the flight of the golf ball.” And with launch monitor systems such as TrackMan and FlightScope, we can now pinpoint exactly why the golf ball is doing what it’s doing. By better understanding the information being delivered to the golf ball through impact, you can better understand and control your ball flight.
Building-Block Approach
Building a better golf swing is much like mastering English in grade school—you don’t advance to 8th grade English class without first passing 5th, 6th, and 7th grade English. There’s a logical progression to learning that takes place. Each step you take builds on the previous one. This “building block approach” is the template we use at the PGA TOUR Golf Academy to help our students develop a more complete game.
In the full swing, the very first step is Mastering the Basics of grip, posture, and alignment (i.e., the setup), so that the student has a solid foundation to start from for all shots. They then learn how to educate their hands, arms and body to the proper alignments necessary to strike the ball solidly at impact, before learning the correct sequence of the pivot and dynamics of the golf swing.
Step 1: Mastering the Basics
Step 2: Impact Zone
Step 3: Body Motion
Step 4: Dynamics of the Swing
The short game steps are similar to the full swing, in that we have the students master the smaller motions of the putting and chipping strokes first before moving onto the partial (pitching) and fuller swing motions (lob shot, bunker shot).
Step 1: Putting
Step 2: Chipping
Step 3: Pitching
Step 4: Lob Shot/Bunkers
PGA TOUR Golf Academy Instructors
Each PGA TOUR Golf Academy Instructor is a carefully selected career-teaching professional certified to the exacting standards of the PGA TOUR Golf Academy brand. Certification requires a commitment to the “Standards of Excellence” and a demonstrated level of expertise in instruction, fitness, and club fitting.
There are 4 levels of instructors at the PGA TOUR Golf Academy:
LEVEL 1: APPRENTICE
- An instructor new to the PGA TOUR Golf Academy
- Proficient in Standards of Excellence
- Proficient in PGA TOUR Golf Academy’s Building Block Approach
LEVEL 2: CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR/CLUB FITTER
- 3 years teaching experience with or without PGA TOUR Golf Academy
- Certified to teach all instruction programs
- Proficient in using video and launch monitor technology
LEVEL 3: SENIOR CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR/CLUB FITTER
- 5 years mandatory teaching experience with or without the PGA TOUR Golf Academy
- Certified to teach all instruction programs
- Proficient in using video and launch monitor technology
- Demonstrated ability to build a lesson clientele of repeat customers
LEVEL 4: MASTER INSTRUCTOR
- 15 years teaching experience with or without PGA TOUR Golf Academy
- Established private lesson and/or golf school clientele
- Clients include PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour, and LPGA Tour professionals
- Accolades include one of the following: Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher; Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers; Golf Digest Top 40 Under 40; Golf Digest Best in State; or PGA of America National Teacher of the Year
